KOTA KINABALU, Jan 2 — Parti Warisan Sabah president Datuk Seri Shafie Apdal today announced that the party’s GE14 candidate Datuk Karim Bujang will stand once again in the upcoming Kimanis by-election.

Shafie announced Karim’s name during the launch of party’s election machinery at the Membakut open hall here this evening.

"We wouldn’t be having this by-election if not for Datuk Karim Bujang. So it cannot be anyone else but Datuk Karim Bujang,” he said when addressing the crowd.

"I told him not to tell anyone. He was worried at first. I told him to work for the party. I know him — he is not a follower. He is committed, he is a fighter,” said Shafie.

Karim, a former state assistant minister during the Barisan Nasional administration, filed an election petition in court post-GE14 and eventually won the case which led to the Kimanis by-election.

Karim is set to face Umno candidate Datuk Mohamad Alamin in the polls on January 18 for the parliamentary constituency.

Speaking to reporters later, Karim said he will not take lightly the trust placed in him to contest in the by-election.

"I personally feel it’s not a pleasure but rather a great responsibility. Being chosen as a candidate is one thing but winning is another,” he said.